Guiltless Meat? Scientists Developing Stem Cell Sausage As First Artificial Meat

In the Netherlands, scientists are close to producing the first artificial meat — stem cell sausage grown in the lab without the need to slaughter animals. The question is whether this means that vegetarians who now refuse to eat meat for philosophical reasons would be able to eat a ribeye without moral qualms.

Dutch researcher Dr. Mark Post, of Maastricht University, expects to put synthetic sausage on the lab menu within six months. He is quoted as saying “I’m hopeful we can have a hamburger in a year.”

Post notes that the meat made from “pig cells fed with horse fetal serum” still needs a few improvements like the fact that it is white since there is no blood in it. Then there is the cost. The first hamburger is expected to cost 250,000 euros. This is a bit pricey for a white hamburger.

As a Western movie fan, I am a bit worried about the future of the genre. Watching John Wayne pushing carts around a lab is not quite the same. Is it still necessary to sing to the test tubes at night to calm the little doggies? Of course, this is the final revenge of the nerds who can now claim the same job as cowboys in working the herd.

16 thoughts on “Guiltless Meat? Scientists Developing Stem Cell Sausage As First Artificial Meat”

  1. I had been thinking they could engineer some sort of animal with an organ or something that would shed delicious steaks on a regular basis. This sounds like mold growing on a dish.

  2. The food geek in me wonders about how they plan on recreating the various flavors\texture of the muscles. Are they going to have an electrical pulse running through it every so often to create the right amount of toughness?

  3. To know yourself is one of the time honored quests in life. Do you really want to know that you respect life only if you can get your taste satisfied another way? I am hopeful however. I predict that after a short change over to the “fake” meat, people will realize it is easy to change and go all the way.

    This is like using an electric motor to wind a clock.

  4. When these artificial meat like products become commercially viable and available in the marketplace, will they be labeled as such or will they be treated as GMO’s are now……no label, no right to know? Anyone care to guess?

  5. This is a very mooving story although I have no beef with carnivores. I will say though that when it comes to trying “lab sausage”, I’m a big chicken. I’d rather hoof it on down to the grocery store and buy a real animal parts to gnaw on. The idea of a steak just like grandma used to grow is far less appetizing than plain tofu.

  6. Of course, this is the final revenge of the nerds who can now claim the same job as cowboys in working the herd.

    ***************

    roflmao….

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